Dozens Of Hungry Raccoons Surround Washington Home

A woman fled and called 911 for help after nearly 100 hungry raccoons surrounded her Washington home, officials said in a video shared by the Kitsap County Sheriff's Office. 

The unnamed woman, who lives in Poulsbo, northwest of Seattle, had been feeding local raccoons for 35 years. She told deputies the situation escalated six weeks ago. 

"The woman says the raccoons often surround her day and night demanding food," the Kitsap County Sheriff's Office said. "And she says she's been quoted prices as high as $500 per raccoon to trap and relocate them."

Officials described it as a "raccoon invasion." Deputies referred the woman to the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife. On its website, the Department of Fish and Wildlife warns people not to feed raccoons. 

"Feeding raccoons may create undesirable situations for you, your children, neighbors, pets, and the raccoons themselves. Raccoons that are fed by people often lose their fear of humans and may become aggressive when not fed as expected," according to the department. "Artificial feeding also tends to concentrate raccoons in a small area; overcrowding can spread diseases and parasites. Finally, these hungry visitors might approach a neighbor who doesn't share your appreciation of the animals. The neighbor might choose to remove these raccoons, or have them removed."

A spokesperson for the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife said the department's WILDCOMM team referred the Poulsbo woman to wildlife control operators in her area, "and she said she was working with a trapper. " According to the spokesperson, all animals trapped by a wildlife control operator must be released on-site or euthanized and properly disposed of.

Wildlife conflict specialists and enforcement officers with the state Department of Fish and Wildlife were not dispatched.